And william l



(No Model.)

J' H' GUEST. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. ELECTRIC RAILWAY. Nog 604,-?47. PatenteadMay 31, 1898.

[I1/VENTURI M 7'/ ATTORNEY.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

J. H. GUEST. ELECTRIC RAILWAY. No. 604,747. Patented May 31, 1898.

INI/ENTOR:

Al, WITNESSES UNITED STATES JOHN' H. GUEST, OF BOSTON,v MASSACHUSETTS,ASSIGNOR TO LINUS CHILD, EDGAR O. VA'OIIORN, `R. SHERMAN YORK, ANDWILLIAM L.

' WI-IITOOMB, OF SAME PLACE, AND4 CHARLES H. vMOORE,

FIELD, VERMONT.

OF SPRING- ELEcTRlc naine/AY.-

l SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Eatent No. 6043er?, dated May31, 1898.l

Application tiled October 20, 1896. Serial No. 609,418. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, J OHN H. GUEST, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a certain newand useful Improved ElectricRailway, oi' which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to electric railways 'wherein the Working conductorfrom which the car-picks up the power-current is divided into sectionswhich are automatically oonnected with the power source as the car movesalong by means of switches `controlling the connections of said sectionsindividually and operated by means of electromagnets which are energizedwhen the car enters a section.

My invention lrelates in some of its features to the manner of supplyingthe actuating current for said magnets froma supplemental stationarygenerator in contradistinction to the main power-generator or to agenerator carried by the car itself.

My invention relates, further, to the construction and manner of sealingand protecting the magnetic switches; to the details of such switches,whereby they shall not 'be caused to open their connection until afterthe circuit is fully opened on the working conductor or rail; to theconstruction of the main contact-rail and the mounting of the oiie ormore sets ofsupplemental contact-rails used in connection with it; tothe construcl tion and operation of the trolley or contact devices usedwith the main rail and supplemental rail, and to other details ofconstruction and combination of devices more particularly hereinafterdescribed, and then recited `in the claims.

Saline.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal section throughone end of the -switch-operatingl magnet and its containing trolley andcontactdeviccs, the contact-rails,

suitable conducting material, and uponit travel one or moretrolley-wheels, through and the Stringer or conduit containing the 5elswitches and some of the conductors. Fig. 7

is a side elevation of the trolley and contact devices, a part beingbroken-away. Fig. 8 shows in side elevatioma part of two o f thesupplemental rails or conductors, the trough- 5 5 shaped containing-railbeing in section. Fig. 9`is a general diagram of the apparatus.

Referring to Fig. 6, A is a longitudinal Stringer, preferably made ofwood, hollowed at-its top and extending along the line ,of 6o track,preferably between the rails, and, if desired, buried. In the hollow topare located the switch-inagx'iets and the insulated conf ductors whichform such of the line conductors as it is desired to thoroughlyinsulate. The top of the Stringer A is closed by a contact-rail B,fastened securely to the top of the Stringer, so as to make a goodwater-tight joint, thereby sealing the trough-shaped cavity in theStringer against the entranceof 7e moisture. The rail B ispreferablyitselit in the/ shape oi`-a trough, as shown, having anges atits side to adapt it to be fastened to the Stringer. The rail B is madeof iron or other which the electric currents used in the system maypass. Mounted orsu'pported within the trough-shaped conductor B are oneor more sets of supplemental contact-rails or conductors a c. y

As the system as hereinbefore described requires two sets,.I have shownin thedrawings two such setsofV rails, which may be formed as plain barssupported on edge with their upper edge slightly above the edge of therail B to adaptthem to be engaged by contacts orcontact trolleys orshoes 'carried by the vehicle or by the trolley-carriage that travels ontherail B.

The supplemental rails a o. may he supported, as shown, by transversepins b, eX- tending from one to the other side or llange of the troughand secured'therein in any suitable Way, but insulated from said rails aa .by sleeves orwashers of insulating material, as shown. The said railsmay be securely an-V chored in the trough and insulated from one anotherby a filling of concrete or insulating cement or other suitablesubstance, which extends ush with the edges of the trough and as near aspracticable to the upper edge of the rails c c.

The upper or contact surfaces of the several rails are in ordinary casesof city traffic made flush with the road-bed, thepaving'or streetsurface being brought up close to the edge of the trough-shaped rail B.However, if circumstances permit, the said rail may-be left exposed atits sides.

Within the conduit or Stringer A are located the several magneticswitches, the incasing tubes of which are indicated by the letter C.This tube may be of any desired material, preferablyinsulation or linedwith insulation, andwithin it and closely tted therein are theelectromagnets of the ordinary tubular construction, cutaway at oneside, if desired, toallowy room for the electric switches. The severalparts of these operating electromagnets are shown more fully in Figs. 1to 5.

D is a metal tube,of brass or other conducting material, within whichslides-V to a limited extent and backward and forward under-,theIinfluence of the. coils a core D. With this core the contact of' theswitch en-v gages, thereby closing a connection between the. wire orconductor secured to the tube D and the wire or conductor connected withthe moving contact.

Surrounding .the tube D are the sleeves or heads. D2, preferably ofinsulation, between` which and surrounding the tube D are-Wound thecoils of the electromagnet, provision be-y in-g made, as shown, for twocoils, one connected with one of the sectional conductors ofthe seriesand the other with the next succeeding one thereof, as shown inthediagram Fig. 9'.

- The contacts ot' the switch are carried by springs or arms. mounted onone of the'heads' D2, asclearly shown, and contact is made with the coreD through the heads at the extreme ends. of the electromagnets, whichare cut away for that purpose.

Connection with the. metal tube D is madebymeans of a plu gof metal d,fitted or screwed tightly into the end of the tube and having aprojection or extension extending outwardly for attachment of aconductor of the system, the end of the tube itself being filled inwith.cementing and sealing material, preferably of an insulating character,asshown, thus .protecting the interior securely against thepossible'entrance of moisture. The heads D2' preferably t the interiorof the tube C, as

shown in the. end view, and after the insertionof the magnet and theattached switch devices the end of thetube' C is securely sealed withany suitable material-as, for instance, by means. of' a solid plug e,over which is applied thesealing-cement e. Through thissealtheconnections for the switch pass.

The switch itself is constructed in the fol` lowing manner: Eis a springone end ofwhichis fastened to a head D2, as shown, while its of thespring is cut to form a spring-tongue,

to which is secured an armature E2, having a central portion orperforation to permit the passage of the supplemental contact. The iarmature E2 is preferably faced with copper ztoprevent sticking. f Thesupplemental contact F is of Aany suitable material-as, for instance,copper--and is secured to a spring F2, passing over the top of thespring E, and Ipasses through the armature E2, extending slightly belowthe copper lfacin g thereof. The 'spring E has a bias tending to liftthe arma- :ture and with it the pin F, while the spring p F2, which is,however, the weaker one, has a 'bias tending to lower said pi'n. Theconse- :qllnce is that when the armature is lowered "magnet isenergized. When the circuit is broken through the magnet,V the armatureis released', but the pin remains in contact until y,the armature hasmoved 'back sufficiently to :engage with the under side of the spring F2i and lift the latter, with' the pin F. By means got this. double actionor followingcontact it will be seen that aruptureof circuit at theswitch will not take place at the instant of the breaking oflci'rcuitthrough the coil on the magnet, but, la slight interval will existlwhich will give time for the full breaking of the connection in thecircuit of the coil by the trolley or contactcarried by the car. The twoI:coils are wound' over the core in such way as to both tend to polarizethe core in the same fdireetion. Hence when the system is, asordinarily, so organized that the second coil comes into action beforethe first goes out fthere will be no tendency of the switch toopen'mome-ntarily, as would be the case if the coils were reverselywound, thus tending i toreyerse the polarity and allow the armature tospring away. l v

The core -D is capable of slight longitudinal movement backward and,forward under the Iiniiuence of the coils, which, as already exfplained,act in succession, and thereby the connection between the core and tubeis kept goed,- as Well as the surface where the switch makes connectionwith the core. The core is l shown in one of its extreme positions inFig. 5. 1 As will be seen, the switch at one end is drawn down intocontact with the core, but the op- -posite end of the core is out ofposition where connection cou-ldl be made with .it by the switcheven ifthe armature should be drawn down by thesliglit attractive effects atthe opposite end. The ends of the core where contact i-s made areslightly bent, as indicated, so that vthe core can pass freely under thespring-contact, if at the time the core is shifted suchspring should bedepressed.

As Will be understood, one or more additional switch-contacts might bemounted IIO around the head D2, and provision 'for an eX- tra one isshown in Fig. 5.A By thus providing a plurality of switches for eachsection of the system a number of paths for the working 4current isaiforded, thus avoiding the ported on the end of an arm H. This arm is.l

preferably swiveled or hung upon, but insulatedv from, the car-axleorother suitable portion of the truck, so as to be capable of a ver--ticalmotiom and is jointed at an intermediate portion of its length, asat h, so as to be capable of turning in a horizontal planeat its freeend to permit the trolley to pass freely around a curve. Connection withthe double .trolley-wheel is made in the usual mannerby attachment tothe frame or yoke. Y I I are the contact-shoes, which travel upon thesupplemental conductors a a'. A description of the manner of mountingand constructing one of said shoes will suiiic'e\for b'oth. '4 -Eachshoe is mounted and guided vertically in a hanger K, which, as shown, issupported by the' main trolley, being for that purpose swiveled or hungfrom the axle of the trolley-wheels, but kept out of electricalconnection therewith by a sleeve of insulating material, as indicated.This hanger K is so hung as to be capable of turning slightly, itsturning motion being limited by stops or' abutments with which an armextending from said hanger engages, as shown, vsaid stops consisting ofscrews or pins K, mounted on vthe yoke G and faced with insulatin-gmaterial. Each'shoe is presseddownward, pref erably by a spring K2,seated in the hanger K, and is guided vertically by means of the headedpins or studs passing through vertical openings in said hanger, asclearly shown. By this construction the shoe has a free upand-downmovement and is securely pressed into contact with the rail, but is alsoadapted to pass over any accidental obstructions.

The connections from' the supplemental .rails a a are made by Wires orconductors pass:

ing through the bottom of the metal trough B into the trough in the topof the strin ger, where they are joined to 'the springs carrying theswitch operated by the magnet and to one terminal of a coil of saidmagnet byawire passing, as indicated in Fig. l, through the sealing inthe end of` the protecting-casing C.

Referring to the diagram, the power-generator for operating the motor Mon the car is indicated at P.' The circuit of the motor is controlledover the ordinary controllingarm R and artilicial resistance r or otherdevice of suitable character, and one pole of the motor is connectedwith the main trolley or contact G, as shown, moving on the troughshapedconductor B, the latter being itself connected to one pole of thepower-generator l. The other pole of said generator connects with thewire L, insulated by preference and running through ythe conduit, andconnection is taken off at suitable intervals from said wire L to theswitch-magnets, be-

ing joined for that purpose with the plugsd i and so with the cores withwhich the switches make contact. A double connection, as iudicated, ispreferably made foreach double magnet.

The supplemental stationary generator is indicated at 1?', thisgenerator being located at the station with P or any other desiredpointon the permanent way and supplying the current for operating theelectromagnets over a circuit quite independent of the power- L circuit.One pole of 4said generator P con- -nects to an insulated Wire L',running through the conduit and itself connected at intervals ,g

to one end of the coils of the magnet through the end of the tube C orin any other preferable Way, While the other'end o f said coils connectsindividually with the supplemental con.- tacts or rails a', as shown inthe. diagram. The shoe I', which travels on theilatter, is on thevehicle or car connected to a co'ntact-seg-l ment R2, whichis engaged bya part on the controller device in such manner that when thecontrolleris operated to bring-,the motor into action connection'is closed betweenR2 anda segment R3, which in turn is joined to the main wheels of thecar or car-truck which travel on the car-rail, therebyformingaconnection to said rail or to ground and completing thereturn-circuit to the opposite pole of the supplemental generator l, onepole of which is, as shown, connected to said rail or rooA to ground..The circuit of said generator is,

as will be seen over lline L t'oa magnet-'coil to a conductor a', toshoe I', by segment R2 R3, i

ground, and back to the generator P. The magnet is thereby energized andthe connection closed for the power-circuit over one of the other setsof conductors c, the latter being connected, .as shown, individually tothe springs which carry the switch-contacts by attachment of connectionsrunning down fromI the conductors into the conduit A and there joined totheexpesed ends of the supportingspringsE. The power-circuit thus closedat any time is by its main conductor L, to the tube D, core D',switch-contact F and E2, spring E, conductor a., contact-shoe I,traveling over said set of conductors a to thel controller-resistance,to motor M, trolley G, rail B, and back to the generator. When the shoelpasses from one rail a to the neXt rail a', it energizes the magnet forthe next succeeding switch and releases the previously-operated one inobvious manner, thus closing and opening in succession the connectionsbetween the sections a.v and the power-circuit or conductor. At the sametime the shoe I travels into and out of connection "with the successivesections a, thereby supplying the current to thel motor.

I do not lim it myself to the use of supplemental contacts or conductorsci a' ofv any particular length or to separating those which are in thesame line with one another by spaces of any particular length, as it isobvious that the length of said conductors may-be shortened and thespaces widened by makingthe contactshoe I or I' longer; nor do I limitmyself to mak.- ing the trough or conduit B in a continuons eralsections shortened and connected' toI one another by other means. I alsowish it tobe understood that I do not limit myself to supporting orcarrying the supplemental contact or shoe I or I from any particularportion of the main trolley or its carriage, though by preference itshanger or support is for convenience mounted upon the axle of thetrolley.

Other variations in the details of the apparatus may obviously be madewithout departing from the spiriti and scope of my claims-as hereinaftermade.

It will be observed that in the system before described there arepractically two circuits, each insulated from the other and both for thepurpose of operating the. switch-magnets and the other for thepower-circuit, the

'connection of the sections of which with the power-generatorarecontrolled by said switch mechanism. By this system said circuitsto wit,one for the power and the other for the switch magnets-being entirelyindependent `of one another and completely insulated, the dangers andthe diiiicultics experienced with sectional electric railways in whichswitchmagnets are employed are largely avoided.

It is quite obvious that the switch-magnets may be operated Serrat/mover their proper circuit by a generator in any desired position orlocation, as well understood in the art, and while I have shown suchgenerator as stationary--that is to say, not carried by and moving withthe vehicle-I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to thelocation of the same, as it may be placed in other positions, as wellunderstood in the art.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination with thetrough-shaped contact-rail forming a workin g conductor, the

supplemental contact -rails or conductors within the same, the metalcross pins orbars mounted in the sides of the trough and passing throughsaid rails but insulated from them, and a filling of insulating cementor concrete in which the rails and pins are anchored.

2. In a conduit-railway system, a switchoperating magnet havingspool-heads fitting into a protective tube hermetically sealed at itsend with a plug or stopper, and permanent or fixed connections for saidswitch and magnet passing through and hermetically sealed in said plugor stopper.

3. A switch-operating magnet having spoolheads fitted into acontaining-tube having a seal at its end through whichpermanent magnetconnections pass and in which they are hermetically sealed.

e'. The combination with the metal tube in which the contact-coreslides, of the` fixed metal plug filling tho bore of the tube at theend, anda circuit connection to said plug eX- l `tending through the endof the tube. length, as it might be subdivided and the sev- 1 5. Thecombination with the metal tube and sliding core therein, of the Xedmetal plug `lling the bore of the tube and having a conductingextension, and a filling of insulatingcement over said plug."

6. In a sectional electric railway, the combination with an armatureadapted to close the circuit to a section, of a supplemental contactcarried or operated thereby, and hav` ing a lost motion as described,whereby said 1 parts 'may fol-low one another in opening con- 1 tact.

7. The combination with the circuit-closing armature, of aspring-actuated contact operated thereby and working through an openingin said armature. forming practically complete metallic circuits 8. Thecombination with the tubular armature,- of the contact-pin workingthrough said armature and normallysupported thereby.

9: The combination with the circuit-closin g .armature and pin supportedthereby,'of two springs one tending to lift the armature and the otherof inferior power tending to depress the pin, as and for the purposedescribed.

' l0. The combination with the trough-shaped Stringer carrying themagnetic switches and connections, of a surface contact-rail forming aremovable cover-plate for the same.

l1. The combination with the trough-shaped Stringer containing themagnetic switches, of a trough-shaped cover supported on top of saidstringer and 'containing one or more contactrails or conductorssupported in an insulatingcement contained within said cover, andconnections therefrom passing through the bottom of the trough.

l2. The combination with the trough-shaped Stringer containing themagnetic switches, of a trough-shaped contact-rail supported on the topthereof and forming a cover therefor, and supplemental contact-rails orconductors supported in said cover in a mass of insulatingcement, andconnections therefrom passing through the bottom of said cover.

13. The combination with a reciprocating core, of contacts each adaptedto touch the same, and actuating coils wound as described to produce thesame polarity in said core, and operating alternately on said core tomove it in opposite directions.

14. The combination with the reciprocating core moving in a metal tube,of the magnetcoils on said tube, and a pair of armatures supported onthe tube and adapted to close connection with the core at opposite endsthereof.

15. ,In a conduit-railway system, a troughshaped stringer containing oneor more lines IOO IIO

rio

'of conductor and magnetic switches, a cover 'or seal for the sameformed as a trough and resting on top of said stringer and a surfaceguided on a swinging hanger, swinging in a vertical plane and providedwith a pressurespring, as and for the purpose described.

17. The combination with the main trolley, of thel hanger swiveled onthe axle thereof, a vertically-guided spring-actuatedl shoe carried bysaid'hanger, and suitable abutments or stops between which said hangermay have a limited swing.

18. The combination, substantially as described, with the pair ofcontact-trolleys moving over a suitable line of rails, of a supple`mental contact-shoe supported by and vertically movable independently ofsaid trolley and adapted to engage with a line of supplemental railsbetween the main rails.

19. The combination, substantially as described, of a trough-shaped mainconductor and trolley moving thereon, one or more supplemental contactrails anchored in the,

' trough, and a contact for the latter supported by the main trolleyand-adapted to move up and down independently thereof.

` 20. The combination with the main trolley- Wheels, bearingrespectively on two parallel lines of insulated conductor, of the hangersupported on an insulating-sleeve between said wheels, and a contactshoe or trolley ,carried by said hangen A 21. The combination,substantially as described, of the arm swiveled on the car-axle andjointed so as to be capable of turning' horizontally, a pair ofcontact-trolleys mountc'd on the end of said arm andadapted to move oversuitable conducting-rails, andtwo sets of intermediatel contact-railsupon which bear a pair of contact-shoes insulated from one another andsupported by the'said .trolley-wheel.

22. The combination, substantially as described, of a main conductorformed as a trough and having a-pair of supplemental conductors mountedwithin it andarranged in sections, a pair oftrolley-wheels moving on theedges of said trough, and two independent supplemental contact-shoesinsulated from one another and mounted between.

sa'id trolley-Wheels, said supplemental shoes bearing respectivelyon'the sectional supplemental conductors.

23. Inan electric railway,a series of insulated sections and normallyopen magnetic switches therefor through which the car takespower-current, asupplemental series of in sulated contacts normallyinsulated from one another and from the first-named series, and asupplemental generator for operating said switches, said generator beingconnected with the car over a trolley or moving contact moving -uponsaid supplemental series.

24. In an electric railway, the combination substantially as described,of a series of sectional conductors insulated from one another,

means for supplying power to the car over the same, a` second series ofconductors dis-v connected from one another,a series of switchoperatingVmagnets, switches 'actuated thereby but normally open, a supplementalgenerator, and means for supplying current from the same over the carand a second series of' sectional conductors to said magnets.

25. In an .electric railway, a power-circuit for the car formed over asingle series of sectlonal conductors insulated from ground, a

traveling contact, a series of normally open switches operated insuccession, and a suitable electric return, and a supplementalswitch-magnet circuit supplied from a separate stationary generator andformed over a traveling contact, a second series of insulatedconductors, and a third traveling contact carried by the car.

26. The combination, substantially as described, of a trough-shapedconductor forming a portion of the power-circuit, and two setsofinsulated conducting rails or contacts anchored in said trough andarranged `in sections, one of said sets being connected withsuitableswitches and forming a part of the power-circuit and the otherset beinge011-,

nected with the coils of suitable switch-operating magnets, as and forthe purpose described. v

27. In an electric-railway system, the combination with theswitch-magnet for each section, of a plurality of switch-contactssimultaneously operated thereby and having multiple connections for thepower-current.

28. In an electric-railway system, the combination substantially asdescribed,.of a series of normally-dead power-supply surface contacts orconductors and a metallic return forming the metallic power-circuit,normally open switchesI for closing the connections to the sections ofpower-supply conductors as the car progresses, asectionalswitch-operating-magnet circuit independent of the powercircuit andinsulated therefrom, andi a separate generator for actuating themagnetswitches individually connected to the latter sections ofconductor, said switch-operatingmagnet circuit being also a metalliccircuit and formed over two sets of conductors positive and negativerespectively, one set being divided into sections and i-nsulatedfrom thecontacts or conductors over which the powercurrentis supplied to thecar, as and for the purpose described.

Icol

29. In an electric-railway system, a main. l

supply-conductor, aseries of branch circuits connected therewith, saidbranch circuits being normally open, an auxiliary circuit, a series ofbranch circuits connected therewith, said auxiliary branch circuitsbeing also normally open, but adapted to be closed by the Signed at NewYork, in the county of New passage of the car, means arrangefl solely inYork and Stateof New York, .this 14th day of ro said auxiliary branchcircuits and. actuated October, A., D. 1896. by the opening and closingof said auxiliary 1 5 circuit for opening and closing said main cir- 1JOHN H' GUhST cuits, and means for completing the main Witnesses: v

branch circuits through the translating de- DELBERT H. DECKER, vicesonthe car. WM. H. CAPEL.

